Education Commons^™

Perceptions Of Educators On Motivational Strategies Influencing Middle School Students In Mathematics Courses, Amy Rigsby

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative study examined educators' perceptions of motivational strategies influencing and motivating middle school students to comprehend and perform in mathematics courses. This study used interview data from 15 participants with 2 to 30 years of teaching experience. Educators may utilize this information in multiple settings within the classroom to influence and motivate students in mathematics courses.

Data collection strategies included one-on-one semi-structured middle school educator interviews. Analysis of data occurred in three phases: (a) categorization of data under the five organizational factors, (b) building the explanation in narrative form, and (c) re-examination of the data. The analysis of the …

Motivations Of Division I Student-Athletes To Participate In Strength And Conditioning Programs., Liza Reader

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to understand the motivations of Division I collegiate athletes to participate in strength and conditioning programs as a part of their sports performance program. Specifically, this study examined what the motivations were and whether there were any differences between the athlete subpopulations of age group, gender, sport played, sport type, and injury status. In contrast to existing sport participation motivation research, this study focused on the participation of strength and conditioning as a part of sport participation, an area barren of motivational understanding and literature. This study utilized Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and Achievement Goal …

A Quantitative Study To Examine The Relationship Between School Administrators’ Path-Goal Approach And Teachers’ Perceived Working Conditions, Tierra Stark

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between school administrators' path-goal approach to leadership and their teachers' perceptions of working conditions. Findings from this research may help school administrators and leadership preparation programs to understand better the application of theories related to motivation, leveraging power, and goal attainment. The conceptual framework behind this study was the inherent inclinations of school administrators in approaching leadership decisions from four pathways; directive, supportive, participative, and/or achievement-oriented.

For use in statistical analysis through the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), data were collected via a questionnaire to currently practicing …

Generation X And Generation Y: An Exploration Of Student Motivation To Learn And Technology Use, Ladonna Hutchins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Student motivation and technology use are important considerations for higher education institutions. With increasing proportions of institutional funding being tied to student success and retention outcomes, gaining an awareness of how students tend to be motivated as well as their comfort and skill level with technology is critical for supporting student success in the collegiate classroom. The purpose of this study was to examine motivations for learning and technology use by specific generations, Generation X and Generation Y, among participants in two learning settings, a four-year university and a two-year community college. Differences in motivation type including intrinsic, extrinsic, and …

The Motivations Toward Decisions In Delaying To Apply For College: High School Seniors Of Single Parent Households, John R. Leach Jr.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It has been said that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The National Center for Education Statistics reports that 30% of students who graduated from high school do not enroll in college (NCES, 2018). This phenomenological study integrates several instruments to identify the motivational elements of amotivation, autonomy, extrinsic, and intrinsic motivational stimuli. The research data reveal that intrinsic motivational factors play a more significant role in the decision-making process. The participants in this study revealed their extrinsic and intrinsic motivation for postsecondary endeavors by articulating how they perceive decision-making for their actions. Participants of dual- …

Udl And Motivation: Student Perceptions Of The Impact Of Universal Design For Learning On Motivation Of First-Year Community College Students In Rural East Tennessee, Jennifer Mayes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study was to identify the perceptions of how Universal Design for Learning (UDL) impacts motivation in first-year community college students in rural East Tennessee. This study investigated the effects of UDL on motivation of first-year community college students in East Tennessee. This involved multiple sections of courses participating in a UDL pilot training program with the college’s Instructional Design department. Two of the courses were part of the UDL pilot, and two of the courses were teaching the Standard approved Master Curriculum. The study had a total of 109 participants, and 9 research questions were …

A Phenomenological Study On The Motivating Factors Influencing Participation In Tennessee’S Governor’S Academy For School Leadership, Amy B. Horton Mrs.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Educational administration is such a demanding field, so it is important to understand why an aspiring principal would self-select to commit to an optional yearlong, intensive professional development activity with very little compensation and no promotion. Motivation may prove to be a key component of the recruitment and sustainability of professional development activities. By discovering the factors affecting both personal and professional motivation of beginning administrators to participate in a professional development led by the collaboration among the Tennessee Department of Education, Vanderbilt University, and Governor Bill Haslam, the researcher hopes to gain an understanding that may apply to future …

Academic Engagement, Motivation, Self-Regulation, And Achievement Of Georgia Southern University Sophomore Students, John O. Lemay Iv

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research has shown that engagement, motivation, self-regulation, and their individual effects on student achievement are established factors that influence college students’ success. However, what is less clear are these variables’ relationships and their collective influence on achievement. Since students face unique trials as they persist through college, consideration of these relationships and their effect on the achievement of all students is necessary. There is a widening achievement gap between sexes; females have now passed males in enrollment, persistence, and graduation rates. Previous research in this area has been largely centered on undergraduate female students in their freshman year, but the …

Factors That Motivate Faculty To Pursue External Funding At A 4-Year Public Institution Of Higher Education, Sharon D. Smith

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative nonexperimental study was to indicate a better understanding of factors that motivate faculty at a 4-year public institution of higher education to pursue external funding. The study is focused on examining the relationship between characteristics of individual faculty members, productivity related to external funding, and faculty perception of intrinsic and extrinsic motivational factors related to pursuing external funding. External funding is a major source of support for research at institutions of higher education. For universities to increase external funding for research along with increasing research productivity, it is essential that university faculty members are motivated …

Job Satisfaction Determinants Of Certificated Staff In The Xyz School District, Grant Edward Schmidt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Job satisfaction is closely related to motivation theory. Many factors influence human motivation. For example, employee performance is greatly influenced by the expectancy of what the job will provide, the employees attitude toward personal achievement and advancement, and their wish for harmony in the workplace (Bittel, 1990). The amount of opportunity people see in their jobs also has a direct relationship to their job performance (Hill, 1979). Motivation can be provided by allowing employees to participate in the goal-setting activities (Catt, 1989). Motivators, such as sick leave, medical/ dental plans, and holiday pay are best enjoyed by the employees when …

Self-Efficacy Beliefs Of Florida School Principals Regarding Federal And State Accountability Measures, John Mccullers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined how self-efficacy beliefs, a central construct of social cognitive theory, might be used to inform educational leadership and policy decisions related to school accountability measures. A survey of 112 principals in Florida was used to investigate the degree to which principals believed the goals of federal and state school accountability measures (the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 and the Florida School Grades Plan) were actually attainable, and to what degree they believed their leadership actually helped achieve these goals. A large majority (83.8%) of respondents believed the state goals to be attainable, whereas only a …

Differences In Academic Performance And Self-Regulated Learning Based On Level Of Student Participation In Supplemental Instruction, Ana Mack

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined differences in academic performance and self-regulated learning based on levels of student participation in Supplemental Instruction (SI) sessions in two introductory undergraduate biology and chemistry courses offered at University of Central Florida in the Spring 2006 semester. The sample consisted of 282 students enrolled in the biology class and 451 students enrolled in chemistry. Academic performance was measured using students' final course grades and rates of withdrawal from the courses. The self-regulated learning constructs of motivation, cognition, metacognition, and resource management were measured using the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ). Relationships between students' gender and ethnic …